1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of plowing systems and, more particularly, to a plow system for non-highway vehicles. Specifically, a preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to an all terrain vehicle or an “ATV” plowing system.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
ATV's and other non-highway type vehicles are frequently constructed for versatility, utility, and recreation. That is, where some users frequently use the non-highway type vehicles for recreational non-highway transportation, other users utilize such equipment for more utilitarian purposes. Hunters, ranchers, farmers, and tradesman frequently have one or more such vehicles to facilitate transportation across non-paved and relatively rugged landscapes. Such equipment is commonly equipped with plowing attachments to remove debris, e.g., snow from areas where other traditional highway-type plow-equipped vehicles cannot otherwise travel due to terrain or weight restrictions.
Known plow assemblies come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and configurations. Such plow assemblies commonly include a plow which is pivotably attached to an ATV. Here, a hand-actuated lever may extend from the plow such that, during operation, an operator must manually raise and/or lower the plow via the handle. This configuration requires the operator to remove a hand from the steering and control mechanism of the all terrain vehicle to manipulate the handle attached to the plow. Accordingly, it is often problematic for the operator to concurrently steer and raise and/or lower the plow assembly. Furthermore, such configurations require the operator have a sufficient amount of strength to raise the plow assembly from its normal lowered operating position. Such a configuration prevents certain operators from performing the plowing-type operation with the ATV equipped plow.
Still other configurations are designed so the plow assembly is raised and/or lowered via actuation of a winch attached to the all terrain vehicle. Although such assemblies overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the handle-actuated plow assembly, they are not without their own respective drawbacks. Such systems require the addition of a winch to the ATV. Accordingly, such systems increase the cost associated with the plow system. Furthermore, although the winch provides upward pressure to raise the plow from an operating position, the weight of the plow is the only down pressure generated by such assemblies. Therefore, such systems are prone to “ride up” on a plowed material. That is, when traversing uneven terrain or plowing substantial amounts of snow, the plow has a tendency to raise up above a desired plow level. Even further, the winch utilized to raise and/or lower the plow assembly is commonly geared to provide slow cable translation relative to the amount of pull force generated by the winch. Accordingly, raising and/or lowering the plow assembly is time consuming and increases the time required for a given plowing operation.
Still other ATV plow assemblies provide an actuator manipulated plow assembly. Although such systems overcome the drawbacks associated with the lack of down pressure of the winch plow assembly previously described, such systems also present their own relative deficiencies. Such assemblies are frequently tailored to specific all terrain vehicles. That is, a mounting kit specific to any particular vehicle must often be purchased in order to adapt the actuator manipulated plow assembly for connection to a specific all terrain vehicle. Accordingly, such systems increase the user and manufacturer cost associated with such systems. Furthermore, where a user has more than one all terrain vehicle, an ATV plowing assembly adapted for each vehicle must be purchased. Still further, were a user to purchase a new all terrain vehicle, an already owned plow assembly may not be connectable to the new all terrain vehicle.
Regardless of whether the plow is handle, winch, or electric/hydraulic actuator actuated as previously described, these systems suffer from a further drawback. The systems have the plow attached to the all terrain vehicle via a relatively rigid, albeit pivotable, plow mount assembly. That is, although the plow is pivotably attached to the all terrain vehicle, such systems do not address impact moments and discontinuities experienced by the plow and plow mount as the plow and all terrain vehicle traverse uneven terrain. When such plows are in a lowered position, discontinuities in the plowed terrain are translated directly through the plow mount to the all terrain vehicle. Such rigid connections translate the upward and downward pressures inflicted upon the plow directly to the all terrain vehicle. If the plow traverses terrain and rides up, it has a tendency to raise the front wheels of the all terrain vehicle, thereby negatively affecting the traction of the all terrain vehicle. As the all terrain vehicle traverses terrain with the plow in a raised position, even though the suspension of the all terrain vehicle may absorb some impacts of the terrain, the plow, being rigidly connected thereto, accentuates the bounce of the plow and translates it directly to the ATV. Accordingly, such assemblies detract from a user's comfort during a plowing operation, increase the time required for a plowing operation, or fail to adequately remove the plowed material from the terrain. Such systems also may not adequately deal with stress and strain put on the actuator and mounting assembly.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an all terrain vehicle plowing system that absorbs impacts as the system traverses terrain, is simple to use and/or operate, and is constructed to be connected to a plurality of all terrain vehicle constructions.